On July 10th, La Poste announced that it was opening its capital to shareholders. The unions decided to make their voices heard once again. At 10 a.m., in front of La Poste’s entrance on Rue Barberis, delegates from the CGT union started their protests, featuring leaflet distributions and a petition campaign. On site, Patrick Sotty, the CGT postal sector secretary, explained: “We are moving towards the end of the traditional postal worker. Like with EDF, we fear a severe degradation of service to users.”
Concerning the most used local service in France, many criticize a shift in logic that does not meet the clients’ needs. For several years, the gradual liberalization of La Poste’s activities has had its share of consequences. Like the Livret A, the yellow savings book is losing momentum, along with its usage (down 16% in 2007). Similarly, cash payments at counters are also expected to disappear, which could be replaced by debit card payments.
“Hands off my Post Office”
The petition is just a beginning. In Nice, the CGT is counting on mass public mobilization and a nationwide effort, considering the problem is of significant scope. Patrick Sotty speaks of a withdrawal by the state: “This privatization aims only to generate profits for capital returns. This unfortunately implies the closure of offices in rural areas that are not always profitable.” Meanwhile, La Poste claims that the state should hold 80% of its capital. According to a CGT statement, “such remarks are not reassuring, as confirmed by Nicolas Sarkozy’s unfulfilled promises concerning EDF’s capital.”
Balance of Power
In Nice, the CGT relies heavily on elected officials to support their action. The first inter-union meetings will take place at the beginning of September. In the meantime, a national day of action doesn’t organize itself. To have an impact, mayors, deputies, and councilors are being solicited for their support. Naturally, Jacques Victor, the communist general councilor from the St Roch district, is on board: “I am constantly receiving tons of petitions and am fully supportive of the postal workers. I am also very concerned about the future of this profession.”
This marks the beginning of a true race against the government. At the CGT, there is concern that the movement may not match the gravity of the cause or the costs involved. According to Jacques Victor, the presidential majority is pulling the strings in favor of privatization, which promises to spark serious confrontations in the political arena: “We must resort to the balance of power to save the public service. With the extraordinary parliamentary session on September 22nd, Sarkozy is once again trying to dodge the issue. The Lisbon Treaty isn’t going to improve matters either. As for Christian Estrosi, we know where he stands.”
